What Are Some Basic Concepts in Digital Imaging?

Double exposure, image disintegration and text portraits are three basic concepts in digital imaging. Adobe Photoshop can handle all three processes. As all three require very little image manipulation, beginners can easily handle these concepts.

Double exposure consists of the superimposition of two different images. In most cases, the foreground image also serves as an image mask to conceal parts of the background image. The background image often has a higher opacity value to serve as a texture for the shape determined by the image mask. One popular use of this concept is to create images of human portraits that have textures from nature or urban environments.

Image disintegration creates the illusion of objects or living beings coming apart, as if shattering. This concept enhances the emotional impact of the image, especially when used on human beings. Artists may separate the disintegrated fragments as a new layer and apply blur filters to give the image a more dynamic look. The blur gives the feeling that the disintegration is happening at the present moment and that the fragments are moving.

To create text portraits, digital artists use letters, characters and numbers as brush strokes. The technique involves creating an image mask out of a text layer, which then conceals parts of the image. As such, the characters form a portrait in the final image. Artists often use this concept to paint famous leaders with words from their speeches.